Bathroom Remodel Inspections: What Gets Checked and When
By the JDI Construction teamReviewed by Arthur Kulchitskiy, Project Consultant, and Denise Lacquement, Designer (bathroom specialist)Updated October 20265 min read
A permitted bathroom remodel in Vancouver is typically inspected in this order: rough plumbing, rough electrical and exhaust ducts, then framing, insulation where exterior walls were opened, and finals for each trade. Nothing may be covered until it is inspected and approved. Inspections requested after 7 a.m. are done the next business day at the earliest; book online, by phone at 360-487-7890 or by text.
A permitted bathroom remodel is inspected in stages, and each stage has to pass before the next layer goes on. The order matters more than anything else: once drywall, backer board or tile covers a pipe or a wire, the inspector cannot see it. This page explains the sequence for a bathroom in the City of Vancouver, the city's inspection codes, how to book, and the 2026 fees, as of October 2026.
The rule that sets the order
The Vancouver code, as read in October 2026, sets three principles:
- "Building service equipment intended to be concealed by a permanent portion of the building shall not be concealed until inspected and approved." (VMC 17.08.140(I)(2))
- "Framing inspections shall be made ... after the rough electrical, plumbing, heating wires, pipes and ducts are inspected and approved." (VMC 17.08.140(H)(6))
- "Work shall not be done beyond the point indicated in each successive inspection without first obtaining the approval of the building official." (VMC 17.08.140(F))
The energy code piece follows the same logic: "No interior finish that would conceal the energy efficiency component shall be applied prior to energy efficiency inspection and approval." (VMC 17.08.140(H)(9))
A typical bathroom inspection sequence
The city lists its inspection codes by category, not in order. The order below follows the code rules above. Your permit card shows which inspections your job actually needs.
| Stage | City inspection code | What is checked, and what must still be visible |
|---|---|---|
| Under-floor plumbing (if drains are moved below the floor) | 405 Underfloor Plumbing | New drain, waste and vent piping below the floor |
| Rough plumbing | 410 Rough Plumbing | Drains, vents, supply lines, shower valve body, tub and shower drains, before walls close |
| Rough electrical | 725 Rough Wiring | Boxes, circuits, GFCI plan, heated floor wiring, fan wiring, before insulation and drywall |
| Exhaust duct | 335 Exhaust / Ventilation Ducts | Fan duct run, damper and termination outside |
| Framing | 140 Framing | Structural changes, after rough trades are approved |
| Insulation (where exterior walls or ceilings were opened) | 220 Insulation Walls / Ceiling / Vault | Cavities filled to the energy code before drywall |
| Drywall nailing (if required) | 230 Sheetrock Nailing | Board fastening before finishing |
| Fixtures | 420 Plumbing Fixture | Fixtures set and connected |
| Finals | 495 Final Plumbing; 795 Final Electrical; 295 Final Building | Finished work for each trade; in a bathroom, items such as GFCI protection, the fan, safety glass marks and smoke alarms |
A bathroom with gas work (a gas water heater, for example) adds 305 Rough Gas Pipe and 390 Final Gas Piping.
The shower pan test
For a traditional site-built shower pan, the plumbing code requires a flood test: "Shower receptors shall be tested for watertightness by filling with water to the level of the rough threshold." (UPC 408.7.5). The liner must also run at least 3 inches above the finished threshold and be pitched 1/4 inch per foot to the weep holes. All of this has to happen before the mortar bed and tile cover the liner.
Some showers use bonded sheet membranes or liquid-applied waterproofing instead of a traditional liner. Whether Vancouver accepts those as an alternate, and how it inspects them, is something we could not confirm. Ask the City of Vancouver plumbing inspector before the shower is built, and follow the membrane maker's own flood test instructions too. Background is in waterproofing explained.
How to schedule in Vancouver
- Online: the Online Permit Center. "Enter the permit number, click Look Up Permit and follow the prompts."
- Phone: 360-487-7890. Have the permit number, the date and "Your three-digit Inspection Code" ready.
- Text: 833-794-2003.
- Email: inspections@cityofvancouver.us; message line 360-487-7801.
The city says: "Inspections received after 7 a.m. will be inspected the next business day" and "Inspections may be scheduled up to five days in advance." The city code also lets the building official require advance notice, so do not plan the tile setter's start on the assumption of a next-day inspection. "City building and electrical inspectors conduct inspections"; the inspector "posts results online and initials inspection card".
What inspections cost
From the City of Vancouver's 2026 fee schedules:
| Item | 2026 fee |
|---|---|
| Inspections included with each trade (MPE) permit | Maximum of two |
| Each additional trade inspection, or "Inspection requested but not ready" | $49.00 |
| Building reinspection | $152.00 per hour, minimum $76.00 per inspection |
| After-hours inspection | Minimum $304.00 per inspector, up to two hours per trip |
A not-ready trip costs money and a few days. Before you call, check that the work is complete for that stage and nothing is covered.
What else the final can catch
Under Washington's amendment to IRC R314.2.2, an alteration requiring a permit means the home must have smoke alarms as required for new homes (battery powered allowed); trade-only permits are exempt. Smoke alarms must be at least 3 feet horizontally from the door of a bathroom with a tub or shower, unless that would prevent a required placement. Carbon monoxide alarms are checked too, with exceptions. Safety glazing marks on shower glass must be visible; see safety glass rules.
Outside the city
In unincorporated Clark County, inspections are requested by 10 p.m. the day before (564.397.2477, or text 866.714.5489), and "Next day inspections are not guaranteed." County inspectors work 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. Electrical work outside Vancouver is inspected by Washington L&I, which requires you to request inspection "prior to covering any electrical work, no later than 3 business days after completing the work or 1 business day after any part of the installation has been energized, whichever occurs first." See permits outside Vancouver city limits.
How JDI handles inspections
JDI Construction handles the permits and schedules the inspections, and builds the project schedule around the inspection points so walls are not closed early. We keep you updated through our client portal. Our overall sequence is on our process, and the permit steps on the City of Vancouver permit process. For how inspections fit into a full timeline, see how long a bathroom remodel takes.
Common questions
Do I need to be home for the inspection?
Usually someone with access needs to be. The city expects the approved plans and inspection card on site, and the inspector initials the card. Ask your contractor who will meet the inspector, and make sure the work and the card are reachable.
What happens if the job fails an inspection?
The inspector posts the result and lists corrections. The work is fixed and reinspected before anything is covered. In Vancouver, trade permits include a maximum of two inspections, and extra or not-ready trips cost $49.00 each in 2026, with building reinspection fees of $152.00 per hour, minimum $76.00.
Can an inspection be done by video?
Sometimes. The Vancouver code lets the building official require or allow remote inspection where the work is minor in nature. Unincorporated Clark County requires push-pull and permitted repair plumbing and mechanical work to be inspected through its Sherlook remote video service.
Who inspects the electrical work?
Inside Vancouver city limits, city electrical inspectors do. Elsewhere in Clark County, Washington L&I does, on its own schedule. L&I requires the inspection to be requested before any electrical work is covered.
- City of Vancouver: Schedule a building inspection
- City of Vancouver: Inspection codes
- Vancouver Municipal Code 17.08.140: Inspections
- City of Vancouver: 2026 building plan review and other fees
- IAPMO: 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code
- Washington L&I: Electrical permit basics
- Clark County: Building inspections
Checked October 2026. Rules, fees and programs change; confirm the current requirement with the agency before you rely on it.
Keep going
- JDI ConstructionOur remodeling processHow a JDI project runs from first call to final walkthrough.
- Planning · Permits and building codesUnpermitted Bathroom Work: Risks When Buying, Selling or RemodelingWhat to do about a bathroom remodeled without permits in Vancouver, WA: seller disclosure, legalizing through a field evaluation, fees and insurance.
- Planning · Permits and building codesRemodeling a Bathroom in a Condo or TownhomeRemodeling a condo or townhome bathroom in Vancouver, WA: association approval, which city permit applies, shared walls and stacks, shutoffs and noise.
- Planning · Permits and building codesRemodeling a Bathroom in a Manufactured HomeRemodeling a bathroom in a manufactured or mobile home in Washington: L&I alteration permits, which work needs one, 2026 fees, codes and HUD standards.
